15th January, 2021
By Olukayode Babalola
Governor Abdullahi Sule has fulfilled his promise of a reward of N10 million to 65 athletes who won medals while representing the state in different competitions.
The reward is for athletes who won medals in different sporting competitions since the beginning of Sule’s administration.
Othman Bala-Adam, Nasarawa State’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, presented the cash reward to the athletes in Lafia on Friday on behalf of the governor.
Speaking at the presentation, Bala-Adam said the donation was a fulfillment of a pledge by the governor and a show of appreciation for the glory brought to the state by the athletes in the various sporting activities they participated in.
“You may wish to recall that on Dec. 2, 2020, we presented to his excellency, athletes who had done the state proud during his first anniversary since assumption of office.
“And as a show of appreciation of a leader who cherishes youths, he made a pledge of N10 million and today he has fulfilled that pledge,” the commissioner said.
Bala-Adam then urged the athletes to reciprocate the gesture by working harder in future competitions to win more medals.
He encouraged those who did not win any medals to also work harder as the government was committed to youth’s development.
The commissioner revealed that the 65 athletes had participated in about 18 sporting activities including karate, track, and field events among others.
“You may find somebody who won gold, silver, and bronze. Each event in which that person won, irrespective of how many times, that person will be rewarded for each giant stride achieved.
“That is who the governor is. He is a man who loves to motivate people to achieve more. So, we categorized gold for N100,000; silver for N80,000, and bronze for N50,000, and the more medals you win, the more your reward,” he said.
Bala-Adam then urged the athletes to make judicious use of the rewards to improve themselves in whatever interested them.
In an interview with newsmen, Kingsley Enyie, Nasarawa State’s Karate Coach, expressed gratitude to the governor for the gesture and assured that athletes in the state would work harder and win more laurels for the state.
“Today is a happy day for us. With this that happened today, we are going to do better to make sure we carry Nasarawa State’s flag higher in this nation,” he said.
Saidu Abdullahi, one of the athletes, also appreciated the governor for fulfilling the pledge, saying “with this amount of money, I feel appreciated for my effort and I will work harder to make the state proud.”
NAN